Removing Bevel-Base from molds

[Whitespider]

Does anyone do this?? And how do you do it??

I removed the BB from a Lee 401-145-SWC (two cavity) a while back using a "best guess" drill bit in a drill press. It didn't work all that great, turned out sort'a rough... but the sizing die straightens it out. I've got a couple other Lee molds I'd like to do, and a couple of Lyman molds also... just thinking there has to be a better way.
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[country gent]

Try a decimal reamer the shorter the better. The reamer will cut a better finish and a truer hole as to roundness and size. Run the drill slower than normal and feed slow use beeswax or black oil when cutting.

[Strtspdlx]

When I did mine I hog out most of the material with a drill but. I leave about .025" to later sand by hand. For sanding I start with 180grit and wrap it around something close to the cavity size and insert it in the cavity and rotate. If I feel like I have a lot to take off I'll open the mold and take a lot down by hand with a dowel and a piece of sand paper gently and slowly working the cavity. Stay away from the parting line!!!! It's extremely easy to roll that over and mess up the mold. Just be patient. If your in a rush then don't bother. This is with Lee molds. And I found when I'm done if I take off everything on the top of the mold and lay 600grit paper on a piece of glass and sand the top of the mold flat to knock off burrs and get it flatter, the bases seem to be a lot nicer.

[Dave C.]

because you have your mind made up and you are going to do this. take some of the best looking from each mould and shoot them, save the targets repeat using the same moulds that you have modified report any gains or loses in accuracy you get.

Dave C.

[bstone5]

All of Master Caster molds are bevel base. All of the cast bullets are powder coated and a cola can gas check installed. The bevel base works well for me.

[Shiloh]

I had Buckshot fly-cut a couple of molds for me.

Shiloh

[Whitespider]

Thanks for the info guys.
I'll look into the reamers and try the hand sanding .


because you have your mind made up and you are going to do this. take some of the best looking from each mould and shoot them, save the targets repeat using the same moulds that you have modified report any gains or loses in accuracy you get.
Bevel-base boolits in revolvers have never performed as well as flat-base boolits for me.
It ain't just about the accuracy... I tend to see more leading with BB boolits, especially in the cylinder and forcing cone area. And my chronograph has always shown better ballistic consistency with flat-based boolits. However, I've never sand-bagged and tested boolits for accuracy from the same mold before and after removing the BB. Like I said, the only one I've done is a .40 caliber.
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[MT Gianni]

Check your set up. If you cannot get less than 0.0015" run out on your drill replace it. When you true up your mold in the machinist vice on your press make sure that you are oriented to the cavities, rather than assuming the base is square to the bottom of the mold. The sizer does fix all problems but when you get a new bit or reamer plan on 2 thousandths run out and make sure your equipment will handle that. It isn't difficult, I have a harbor freight special drill press that makes it but US made is easier to find a decent chuck with.

[mdi]

I have a Lee 45 cal., 200 gr SWC mold that had a bevel base. I tried a drill on one hole and shortened the mold block. I draw filed the top of the mold enough to remove 90% of the bevel (before I had a drill press and all work was done by hand). The drilled hole came out a bit rough, but smooths out in the sizing die. The one w/o drilling came out very good. Both cavities run about 193-196 gr.

[44man]

My friend bought all for loading his .38/.357. Lee, 2 cavity BB and accuracy not very good so I made it a flat base but did it by hand and do NOT remember how I did it. It came out perfect, round and dead flat. I know I did not drill it, ream it or mill the top off so it is a mystery even to me.
I can say for sure, they shoot better---MUCH better.
I used to buy bulk long ago and most were BB, none shot good.

[smokeywolf]

I cheat. In a Bridgeport mill, I clamp the mould in the mill vise, indicate the cavity and slip a Criterion boring head into the spindle of the mill. Locate the rear surface of the first lube ring by touching the boring bar to it. Set the quill stop, then dial out the boring bar with each successive pass until the boring bar starts wiping off the color that I applied to the I.D. of the bottom drive band. Finished.
Remove gas check shanks the same way.

[NoAngel]

I've done a couple. I set them up in a four jaw and bore them out.

[robg]

I was given a Lee 158 357 mold that was a ***** to get the boolits out as it owed me nothing I cleaned it with toothpaste then used a chamfer tool to get rid of the bevel base freehand it worked OK and boolits fall out now .